When the Yankees were shut out by the Houston Astros in the American League wild-card game, the crowd at Yankee Stadium saved its most vociferous boos for one of its favorite players, Brett Gardner, the Yankees’ only homegrown starter.
When Gardner, an outfielder who had already struck out three times, grounded out meekly in his last at-bat, he became an object for the crowd’s frustration toward an offense that had mirrored his performance — a strong start to the season, a second-half decline and a petering-out in the final weeks.
Afterward, Gardner brushed off questions about his health.